


sincerity

by r0wlets



Category: Tales of Berseria, Tales of Series
Genre: F/F, magivel - Freeform, talesfemslashweek2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-31
Updated: 2019-08-31
Packaged: 2020-10-03 21:29:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20459762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/r0wlets/pseuds/r0wlets
Summary: Figuring out the right amount of annoying is just another walk in the park, she says as she walks in the park on a date. Oneshot.





	sincerity

_sincerity_

There was a slight breeze in the park today, signaling that fall was near. It was cold enough for Magilou to overdramatically burrow her head in her oversized beige sweater. She was so used to parading around in next to nothing that even temperatures below 24 were too cold for her. Oh, dear, she really hoped she wouldn’t get sick from this. Bienfu’s sweaters were warm, but they weren’t warm enough.

Boohoo. She’d deal with Bienfu’s incompetence later. For now, being a little chilly was worth it as her hand was entwined with Velvet’s as they walked. She didn’t think the other woman would agree to this date, but she relented with the condition that Magilou pulled no funny shit. No exploding bombs, no fights with prickleboar, no outstanding ride-share fees. Easy-peasy. For once, Magilou didn’t really feel like her usual razzle-dazzle antics.

The others laughed at her when she said she just wanted a normal date. Outright _guffawed_. She hung up Bienfu on the clothesline for this betrayal and chased Eizen and Rokurou out the kitchen, drinks and all. She thought that at least Eleanor would have the smallest shred of faith in her, but the ginger had merely gawked her with that fish-faced look she always had reserved for times of confusion. It had taken several attempts for Magilou to convince and gain her assistance in the matters.

They had spent a long time in the kitchen yesterday, Magilou recalled with amusement. Every five seconds Eleanor had kept nitpicking that some way her methods of making chocolates was wrong. Don’t add so much salt, don’t add an entire pitcher of water, don’t wipe Bienfu hair all over the dishtowels. It was like she was in grade school all over again. And when she was finally done over an hour later because she forgot, watching one of her reality TV shows, Eleanor looked at her and her burnt chocolate with utter despair. “You really are a lost cause sometimes, Magilou.”

Well, she had _tried her best_! Magilou had wanted to retort with a comment regarding her sex life so bad but decided to spare Eleanor the grief, only because she had been so patient with her. Instead, she settled for a quick tap on the butt and went forth her merry way, shittily wrapping her goods in some aluminum foil. Perfect.

Her one fear now was that her target wouldn’t like them. Velvet wasn’t much of a sentimental or materialistic person to begin with, and she hated sweets, which therefore made zero sense for Magilou to make chocolates for her in the first place. And she had zero excuses other than that she panicked, thinking that nothing else would satisfy her either, so might as well attempt to impress her with her cool baking skills. Stupid, really. She shouldn’t have had to flaunt herself like this at all…but Velvet was special, someone…different. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but the younger woman was someone she wanted to make the extra effort for. In fact, the _only _one.

She shivered, squeezing Velvet’s hand. Hoo boy, that was pretty gay. Velvet raised an eyebrow at her, oblivious as usual. “You still cold, Magilou?”

Magilou’s impish ears perked up, obviously liking the attention. “I’m just so terrible with the cold!” she whined, putting on an extra bit of exaggeration. Smooth. “Who needs four seasons anyway? Bah! Just give me four seasons of straight summer, surf and turf beach babe weather, baby!”

Velvet looked up, her gold eyes soft. “I dunno. I kinda enjoy the colder weather. Not winter, though, the snow always sucks, but Phi seems to really enjoy Christmas…”

Oh, phooey, why did she decide to get mushy over the _stupidest _things? She’d never shed a tear over the sappiest chick flicks, but a girl mention one change of the weather and she was all over that like an all-you-can-eat prickleboar buffet! Inconceivable! She almost completely forgot that she had even complained about the cold in the first place until she felt something wrap around her. Velvet’s favorite black leather jacket. Narrowing her eyes she looked up. “Eh? What’s this for?”

“You said you were cold, right? Besides, no one wants to deal with you if you get sick. We barely tolerate you as it is.”

She kept walking. Magilou let go, lowering her head as she trailed behind. Ouch, the truth hurt a lot more today, didn’t it? Normally she prided herself on being the most beautiful, the smartest, the most brilliant nuisance in the group. She doubted there were many people on this planet that could match her. But obviously, being nearly unmatched on the entire planet, it got lonely. Perhaps she didn’t want to be seen as a genius nuisance sometimes. Perhaps she wanted to be seen as a lovable equal.

Unlikely. She fell to a full stop. Velvet continued for a few more steps, then turned around, eyebrows raised. “Magilou? Something the matter?”

She didn’t want to respond, biting her lip until it began to bleed. Then she shrugged, attempting a lopsided smile. “Say, Velvet. You really think of me as a nuisance?”

“Well, yeah. You’re always causing trouble and annoying us and getting us involved in your harebrained schemes. You really make me work ten times harder than I have to.”

Zero hesitation. Magilou brushed her knuckles against the chocolates in her purse, sorely tempted to chuck them into the river for the fishes when Velvet continued, “But I guess that’s not always necessarily a bad thing. Can’t say the same for everyone, but I’ve gotten so used to your crap that I think life would be boring without you. Sure wouldn’t be the same, that’s for damn sure.”

Stars sparkled across Magilou’s green eyes. Velvet placed a hand on the back of her neck, wanly smiling. “Are you okay, Magilou? Do you wanna sit down or something?”

“Nah, nah, I’m fine. Hey, if I _did _change, would you be proud of me?”

“Not going to happen,” Velvet stated matter-of-factly. “Even if you did, I think I’d just be more worried about you. There’s no need for you to push yourself. Really.”

The taller woman bristled as Magilou grabbed her from behind, embracing her. She hoped Velvet wouldn’t turn around, because then it’d be awkward for both of them, and she didn’t really do awkward well. She’d rather take her chances with the fishes. Quietly, she slipped out the foil of chocolates and brought it forward, shutting her eyes. “Here. Take my offering and we’ll never speak of this again. They’re homemade.”

“…am I gonna get food poisoning from this?”

“God, I hope not.”

The weight of her hand lessened as Velvet took the chocolates. Magilou stiffened, dreading what she might say or do, until she felt Velvet’s other hand rustle her hair. “They’re burnt. Really burnt. But bitter. I like them. Good job, Magi- ohhhh, my God.”

Velvet stumbled as Magilou hopped on her back, grinning and pointing a finger in the air. Her self-doubts dissipated, she was ready to be the best nuisance there ever was. Below her she could hear Velvet grumble half-heartedly. “Calm down, calm down. There’ll be other dates. You know that, right?”

They both fell onto the pavement. Now the fake grumbling turned to real grumbling as Magilou placed all of her weight on the other woman, completely starry-eyed. There were going to be…_other_ dates? She had to make…_other _chocolate?

Then she realized she kind of _wanted _to make other chocolate. Ah, crap.


End file.
